https://www.acast.com/theeconomistasks/theeconomistasks-howd...
The audio is totally amazing! One of the most significant silences I've heard in a long time.
When a Snowden for China finally emerges, I think it's going to be far worse than anyone imagined. And people like Shen are complicit with their silence.
There's nothing in an honest answer to the question he was asked by which could serve Beijing either from a political or a business perspective.
Likewise a propaganda based answer would have gotten him nowhere in any thinking society. I do not know what sort of punishment could or would result for him from any fallout from a radio interview the in western media.
That sheepish 'no' however, made me think not of some machiavellian monster, but of a scared little boy. I really do wonder, just what is he afraid of?
with what data or experience do have to make this assertion?
And there's a good chance that he does not or cannot even allow himself the freedom of mind to acknowledge it.
I've noticed something with the Chinese people I've spoken to, as much as they acknowledge that "the government is bad", they agree with them in all regards.
They quite simply cannot come to terms with the notion that the reality presented to the in school and by the media, throughout their entire lives, is simply a façade.
Is Shen complicit? Quite possibly. But the Chinese government seeks for all it's citizenry to act not as individuals but as a unified whole. Outside of the higher levels of government it becomes very difficult to allocate individual shares of blame.
This guy is actively building the instruments of oppression and making a ton of money doing it. Certainly doesn't match the kind of unilateral oppression connotated by the word "victim".
China's propaganda is rather up front about what it's about. Our propaganda lies/hides about what the state is doing. That's why it is shocking.
> And people like Shen are complicit with their silence.
How are they complicit? They are no more complicit than people who buy "made in china" goods or businesses who invest in china or tourists who flock to china.
You're commenting on a quote where they are explicitly not being open about what they do.
But bear in mind Shen isn't 'they'. He has no political role or cover. There's literally nothing he can say on the subject that couldn't get him in trouble and frankly he may not actually know all that much officially anyway.